A Coffs Coast personal trainer tells you how to maintain a healthy mind and body with this home workout
Disclaimer: Please consult your physician or other health care professional before starting this or any other fitness and nutrition program to determine if this home workout is right for your needs.
Does this sound familiar?
After years of false starts, you’ve finally established a diet and exercise plan that’s not only varied and fun but clearly benefiting your mind and body. Workouts are no longer the chore they once were and the food you eat is providing you with an abundance of energy and optimism. All of a sudden, the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps across the globe and life as we know it grinds to a halt. Your local gym has closed its doors, the outdoor fitness group has stopped meeting and your mind is beginning to wander to some dark places.
Stay positive!
Coffs Harbour based personal trainer and nutrition coach Jenna Ferreira says while uncertainty reigns, it’s important to look for the positives in the current situation.
“Doing that has led to a massive mind shift for me and also for my clients,” she explains. “While we need to change and adapt, we’re still able to move our bodies each day – whether that’s at home or outside.”
Jenna stresses the importance of using movement and exercise as a tool to keep our heads in check. Scientists are increasingly finding that regular exercise has an effect on our mental wellbeing, with many studies looking at the relationship between physical exertion and mental illness. While there are clearly a few obstacles in the way right now, it’s not an excuse to drop the ball and go back to square one. The answer? Home workouts.
“You don’t need to have all of the professional equipment to be able to get in a good workout at home,” Jenna promises. “You can always use things that you have around the house like a backpack filled with cans of food or your own body weight.”
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Jenna assures us that a home workout can be fun and accessible for the whole family. Check out her sample workout below:
4 Rounds – Lower Body
Squats x 15
Backward lunges (alternating leg) x 15
Squat jumps x 15
4 Rounds – Upper Body
Push-ups (knees or toes) x 15
Tricep dips (using lounge or chair) x 15
Plank shoulder taps (plank position alternating arm to opposite shoulder tap – on knees or toes) 10 each side.
Core Strength
Crunches x 10
Each side oblique twists x 10
Hover – Challenge yourself to hold as long as you can. Use a timer and each time you do this, challenge yourself to hold the hover a little longer.
Nutrition
Diet and exercise go hand in hand, but for many, nutrition is our Achilles heel. As we learn to live with social distancing restrictions, more and more people are turning to their fridges and pantries to find comfort and relieve boredom. Jenna recommends mindfulness as a way to combat this.
“Check in with yourself and make sure you’re not just eating because you’re bored,” she suggests. “Enjoy every mouthful, chew slowly and appreciate your food.”
Jenna says it’s important to drink plenty of water and include herbal teas between meals. Protein and fibre also have important roles to play.
“Protein is our number one macronutrient and including it in each meal will help keep you satisfied.”
Jenna’s favourite go-to macronutrients:
Protein – Tofu, tempeh, chicken, turkey, steak, fish, legumes, eggs.
Carbohydrates – sweet potato, pumpkin, rice, corn thins, vegetables and fruits.
Fats – avocados, oils and nuts.
Jenna Ferreira Health & Fitness creates online nutrition and training programs that bring life balance and promote the enjoyment of all foods. Home training programs are tailored to suit each client and can be designed with or without equipment, to help you stay fit and strong through these challenging times.
Read our previous interview with Jenna here.